After three years of construction at a cost of $2,500,000, the
Saenger Theatre was dedicated on February 4, 1927. Designed
by Emile Weil for both silent movies and stage presentations and
later the home of Paramount talking pictures, its sumptuous
interior recalled the appearance of a Baroque courtyard. The
Saenger was what historians now call an "atmospheric" theatre:
strategically placed lights combined with special effects machines
that projected images of clouds, sunrises, and sunsets to create
the illusion that theatre-goers were looking up into the
sky.

When it opened, the Saenger seated an audience of four thousand,
but changes during the years-notably the addition in 1964 of a
"piggyback" or upstairs theatre, the Saenger Orleans, reduced
seating. At the same time, many of the theatre's elaborate
chandeliers and statues were sold, but the original organ-the
largest ever built by the Robert Moton Company and the prototype
for its "Wonder Organ" line-remained.

By 1970 the Saenger had fallen into disrepair. In 1977 it was
added to the National Register of Historic Places, and in the same
year a new owner purchased the building for $1,000,000 and launched
a $3,000,000 renovation. From 1980 until 2005, the Saenger
hosted touring companies of Broadway shows, performances of various
kinds, and private events. In the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina, which struck New Orleans on August 29, 2005, the
building's basement flooded, and furnishings, plaster, and
tapestries require replacement. Raised to its highest
position, the organ sustained damage but can be saved. The
process promises to be a slow one.

The need to make room
for the Saenger Orleans in 1964 impelled the removal of a large
quantity of sheet music that was rescued from disposal by
René Louapre, prominent leader of René Louapre's
Society Orchestra. Louapre arranged the music alphabetically
by title within several categories which he designated by one or
two letters of the alphabet (e.g., S for Songs). In the
present arrangement, all music is alphabetized by title in a single
sequence, but Louapre's numbers have been recorded (see column at
the far right).

Walker, Judy. "The
Saenger Story: The 75-Year History of New Orleans' Canal Street
Show Palace Is As Grand and Epic As the Movies and Plays That Have
Graced Its Stage." New Orleans Times-Picayune, June
23, 2002.